This series was lopsided from the start, but now appears to be an inevitable Heat sweep with little in the way of excitement. Charlotte’s top player, Al Jefferson, went down with a foot injury during Game 1. It appears that the superstar will have to play at limited effectiveness for the second contest in this best-of-seven series.

The latest news comes courtesy of Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, who posted a picture of Big Al entering the AmericanAirlines Arena in a walking boot:

Even with a fully healthy Jefferson, the ‘Cats would struggle to beat the Heat at home. The team is desperate to move past this series as quickly as possible, conserving as much energy and staying healthy to increase its chances at a fourth consecutive Finals appearance and third straight victory.

Don’t be surprised if LeBron James explodes for a huge outing against the limited Bobcats here, pacing his team to a double-digit victory.

The Mavs played a strong Game 1 against the Spurs, but their lack of defensive prowess ultimately cost them against the West’s top seed.

Dallas is hoping to steal one on the road before the series returns to its part of Texas, taking away San Antonio’s home court advantage and making this a competitive series.

The likelihood of that happening is low, considering the Spurs proved time and time again that they are the better team in this matchup. They claimed all four regular-season meetings and added a fifth victory over the Mavs to start their trek back to the Finals—pushing their overall streak against their in-state rivals to 10 straight.

This should be one of the most intriguing games on tap for the evening, as the Blazers look to go up 2-0 on the road against a Rockets squad that must bounce back from a heartbreaking defeat.

Which team will win Game 2?

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Which team will win Game 2?

Trail Blazers

80.0%

Rockets

20.0%

Total votes: 20

Portland rode a combined 77 points from LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard to victory, the first pair of teammates to score 45 and 30, respectively, since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen did with the Bulls back in 1992.

The Blazers also fought back from a 10-point deficit with just under four minutes remaining, showing that this team has heart and will be tougher than expected to oust from the postseason.

According to SportsCenter, Houston star Dwight Howard plans to be more active in this second contest and will demand the ball so that his squad can work from the inside out: